The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-22
And Messrs. Plumb, Dolph and Sherman Cast
aFlood of Light Upon 1t. Showing that 1t
Is a Spook Evolved for Party Purposes.
How Personal Interests Enter Into the
Schemes Affecting the Territories.
Edward Atkinson Thinks It Would Be Unwisa
for the United States to Reopen the Free
Coinage Questiou-General Notes.
THE FIFTIErH CONGRESS.

directing the fish commission to report what
measures have been taken for the selection of q
| site for fish cultural station in the Ozark re-
| eion OF southwestern Missouri
Mr. Spooner offered resolution. which was
adopted. instructine the committee on privileges
and elections to inquire into the expedency OF
! the adoption by the Senate flor the guidance of
the executives of the several Statesl Of a form
of credentials of the election of United States
Senators.
The resolution offered yesterday by Mr.. But
Ter, for the appointment of select COMMITTEES OF
FIVE to investigate the condition of the five CIV
ilzed tribes of Indians was taken up and
adopted.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Beck, on the
18th inst. directing the postoffice committee to
inquire into the advsability of reducing the rate
of letter postage to one cent was taken up and
referred to that committee
Mr.. Dawes called up the bill to amend the
law concerning the commission of fish and fish
cries. and moved it be passed. It provides fog
the appointment by the President, with the ad
vice and consent of the Senate, of person of
scientific and practical acquaintance with fish
and fisheries. commissioner. at a salary OF
S., ,O0o; such person not to hold any other United
States State Office.
motion by Mr.. Reagan to reduce the salary
to S3. 900 was rejected, and the bill passed.
Mr. Allison called up the holiday recess reso-
In tion and moved its adoption.
Mr.. Plumb said he would vote against the
resolution, because he thought the proposed
cess against the public interest. Congress
would be in session till the dog days, and dur
ing that latter part OF the session the country
would be in the midst of a heated presidential
canvass There why members
~ - A. I-y.g
fact, that WAS mere pretense; not one mem-
Der in dozen lat least of those living west OF
tine Ohio river) would go home during the holi-
days He referred to Mr.. Pugh's rsso-
luton that Congress should not adjourn
till action was taken for the disposal of the sur
plus in the treasury, and said he did not agree
with the President in many OF his statements in
the late annual message, and he did not at all
agree with him in saying that the respon sibility
of non-action In the matter OF the surplus would
rest on Congress. For his own part he would
be glad to remain in Washington during the hol-
idays and legisate on the subject of the surplus
but not with any sense of that responsibility of
Congress which the President Lad set forth
The primary responsibility for the present
dition of the treasury resided lhe thought) with
the President of the United States who totally
disregarded the law which required him. practic-
ally, to spend the surplus in the purchase of the
national debt. The Presidents excuse for not
doing that th provision of law was found
in an appropriation bill. and was therefore lin
the Presidents opinion) merely a temporary ex-
pedient He (Mr. Plumb) did not
know any warrant for ths Presi-
dent Distinguishing between laws passed
by Congress, and saying that one
provision of law was less mandatory on him
xhar @horv II rof wit
good grace from the President to criticise the
particular places where important provisions of
the Law were fonnd. The President would find
that, in attempting to so, he would have pretty
large contract on his hands, and which
might result somewhat disastrously to him.
The President. in his message. had omitted to
state one important fact, which that the
last Congress passed law requiring him affirm
ativey to pay ten millions month in the dis
charge of the public debt, and that the Presi-
dent had put that bill in his pocket, thus pre-
venting its becoming a law
Mr. Beck remarked that the President had
paid the money out even faster than that bill re-
quired.
Mr. Plumb regarded that as only another way
that the President had for saying that he
thought he could do better himself than Con-
gress knew how to tell him. The Senator from
Missouri (Mr. Vest) had made the welkin ring
all over his State in denunciaton of the
tional banks the vampires that were sucking
the substance of the people He wondered
whether that Senator did not smile to himself
(behind the door) when be a Democratic
President bringing with him into his admins
tration. as Secretary of the Treasury, the presi.
den: of a national bank, and appointing as
Treasurer of the United States the cashier Of
another national bank. He would call that
Senator's attention now to another fact in that
line-the fact that the Secretary of the
Treasury to-day deposIting $40. 600. 600 OF
the alleged surplus with national banks to be
loaned to the people at such rates as their
niOht nal fn nav ThA
bo nds of the United States could be purchased
at rate which would yield q per cent, and
yet instead of using part of the surplus for that
purpose, IL given to the national banks
to be used for their profit. the President had
also forgotten to take note of the fact that the
river and harbor bill, which appropriated some
Sl4 O00 000 had failed not because of any lack
of action by Congress. A deficiency bill cover
ing So. 600. 600 had also failed last session,
because of the neglect of the Democratic ma jor-
ity in the House. and these two sums would
have made q very comfortable addition to the
current funds of the people of the United States
at this juncture. He lMr. Plumb) never did
agree with the Republican policy of the Treas
ury Department; but that policy, at least. was
sstent, and was not under suspicion OF being
'ly influenced Dy the New York banks
fast there was surplus OF $40, OOO, 600
il treasury, under Republican administra-
ton, it had been put out in the discharge OF the
obligations OF the United States; IT had never
congested there until there were $40, ,000 600 or
$50. OO0, 900 of it, and then emptied at once. in
order to meet the necessities of Wall street.
1t never had been paid out after consultation
with officers OF New York banks. However
much the Republican administration OF the
Treasury might have been criticised
in other respects, it had never been liable TO
such criticism lay at the door of the present
administration. The trouble with the present
admins tration was that it mad eye to any
thing lin a financial wayl except what related
to the banking interest of New York city. 1t
had not taken into account the fact that al dur
ing the long summer there was lack OF money
necessary to the carrying of business, all over
the Western country Another instance OF the
failure of the administration to carry out. the
will of Congress was shown in regard to the Ok
lahoma question, where the commission pro.
vided for by Congress to negotiate for the Indian
lands was not appointed. He thought it was
the duty of the executive to carry out such